Cleveland’s time in the WNBA didn’t end well the first time. The Rockers folded in 2003 after six seasons when their owner couldn’t find a buyer, leaving the city without a team for over two decades. On Tuesday, a new team was named.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Rock Entertainment Group, on Tuesday, officially unveiled the name and branding for Cleveland’s WNBA expansion franchise at Rocket Arena: the Cleveland Sirens. The team, which will debut in 2028 as the league’s 16th franchise, built the identity around a Greek mythological figure known for a voice powerful enough to lure sailors toward it.
“We really wanted something that people could rally behind, a real character. And we’re really excited about that,” said Grant Gilbert, Rock Entertainment Group’s vice president of business and basketball operations.
Gilbert added that the branding was designed to be more than a logo. “I think the other aspect of the siren name and brand that was really considered and that we get very excited about is how authentically it extends just beyond the name and branded logos themselves. The potential of the name is endless,” he said.
The brand brought memories of the Rockers era while positioning the Sirens as their own entity, different from the Cavaliers. Former Rockers players were present for the event, and the Sirens’ brand color was created to pay homage to the original franchise.
Team president of business operations Allison Howard made it clear that the new team isn’t chasing memories alone, or depending on its Rocket Arena roommate, the Cavaliers.
Before the expansion was given, it was reported that the Connecticut Sun would relocate to Cleveland. Those talks never resulted in a sale, leading the league to grant Cleveland a brand-new expansion franchise instead.
What’s Next for the WNBA’s 16th Franchise?
Howard said that the Sirens are building a different identity from the Cavs, despite sharing an arena and an ownership group. “This team can exist very much on the independent side of the Cavaliers. And that’s also what we are seeing right now. The demographic is totally different.”
Cleveland will be the first of three approved expansion markets to launch. They will arrive ahead of Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030. Where the Rockers folded two decades ago, the Sirens are making their return as a unique brand, one Howard suggested has already started proving itself before a single game has been played, with 9,000 season tickets already acquired by fans.
Before the brand logo and name were revealed, an announcement was made. Progressive Corporation became the jersey sponsor, the first time in WNBA history that a single sponsor has occupied both the front-center and shoulder logo positions.